Following the technical advantage offering of the image taking apparatus using the solid-state image sensor such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type image sensor or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)type image sensor, a cellular phone in which the image taking apparatus providing with an auto-focus mechanism (hereinafter, called an AF mechanism)is mounted, is spread. Further, for these image taking apparatus, the requirement for further size-reduction is enhanced. As the image taking apparatus having such an AF mechanism, it is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1, and Patent Document 2.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A No. 2004-347890. (Hereinafter, JP-A refers to Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection)
[Patent Document 2] JP-A No. 2005-128392.
However, in the image taking apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the outer diameter of lens groups constituting the image taking lens is almost equal, and because a drive means for driving the lens, is arranged on its outside, the dimension in the diameter direction is increased. Hereupon, because the mounting space is limited as in the case where for example, the image taking apparatus is mounted in the cellular phone, in order to avoid the interference with other parts, there is an actual condition that further size-reduced image taking apparatus is required. Further, when a plurality of lenses or glass lenses are driven as the focusing lens group, a stronger actuator becomes necessary. Further, also in the image taking apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, because a drive means for driving the lens is arranged on the outside of the lens groups constituting the image taking lens, the dimension in the diameter direction becomes large.